After struggling through the first part of the season, the men’s swimteam still fares well for future performance. Captain Chip Stryker had some positive comments to offer about the team, and head coach, Bill Farley affirmed a confident outlook.
Chip Stryker:
Q: Have you been disappointed with the outcome of the season thus far (2-4 overall record, 1-4 MAAC)? A: No, not really. Swimming is a sport entirely based on times. It’s easy to prepare for a loss when you know ahead of time how much better the opponent’s times are. I still have high hopes for the remainder of the season.
Q: As a captain, how do you get the team motivated for each meet, especially now with a losing record? A: I try to stress the importance of pushing the little things. The team is self-motivated and is determined to excel. Before each meet I try to accentuate the fact that if we execute to our capability, the rest will come together on its own.
Q: Earlier this season, you commented that you thought coach Farley was going to make an immediate impact on the team’s performance this year because of his success in previous swim programs. Do you think this season has been a set back or disappointment for him? A: Definitely not. I don’t think coach Farley is too concerned with our record right now. Anything can happen once we hit the MAAC tournament, and that’s when we have to come together. I believe that coach took this position because it offered him a good opportunity to develop our team and gradually make us into a better program. He would be just as happy to take credit for building us up as he would be for a team with a successful winning record.
Q: What has been the high point for you this season so far, and what meet are you looking forward to? A: I truly believe that the high point is yet to come. It would be nice to end the semester on a positive note, but beating Holy Cross would be nice only because we have always had close meets against them. I was pretty pumped when our 200-relay team broke the school record against Niagara last week.
Coach Farley:
Q: Did you have higher expectations of this team and what is your outlook for its future? A: I really didn’t have expectations when I took the head coaching position. The men could be doing better, however their work ethic and attitudes are improving everyday. I give the program about three years to be in contention and to attract many good swimmers to our school.
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